S.F. panel uses clout to make nightclubs safer

Vajra Granelli, an inspector with the Entertainment Commission, checks in at the Starlight Room on a busy Saturday night. in San Francisco, Calif., November 5, 2011. Granelli patrols every week, stopping at clubs and bars to check for noise and violence issues. less

Vajra Granelli, an inspector with the Entertainment Commission, checks in at the Starlight Room on a busy Saturday night. in San Francisco, Calif., November 5, 2011. Granelli patrols every week, stopping at ... more

Photo: Sarah Rice, Special To The Chronicle

Photo: Sarah Rice, Special To The Chronicle

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Vajra Granelli, an inspector with the Entertainment Commission, checks in at the Starlight Room on a busy Saturday night. in San Francisco, Calif., November 5, 2011. Granelli patrols every week, stopping at clubs and bars to check for noise and violence issues. less

Vajra Granelli, an inspector with the Entertainment Commission, checks in at the Starlight Room on a busy Saturday night. in San Francisco, Calif., November 5, 2011. Granelli patrols every week, stopping at ... more

Photo: Sarah Rice, Special To The Chronicle

S.F. panel uses clout to make nightclubs safer

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A year ago, a string of nightclub shootings left partyers dead and injured in San Francisco. Venues shut down. The city's Entertainment Commission, facing questions over its ability to regulate clubs, had an uncertain future.

But legislation passed since then has expanded the commission's power to crack down on clubs immediately when issues arise instead of letting problems fester.

As a result, officials say, the scene after dark in San Francisco is safer.

"Somehow there's this notion that it is not safe out at night - and, in fact, it is," said Jocelyn Kane, the commission's executive director.

In summer 2010, 42 violent incidents, including four shootings, occurred in or near nightclubs, according to the Entertainment Commission.

Those numbers decreased this summer, when there were 36 violent incidents, including one shooting. The club scene during Halloween weekend also appeared to pass peacefully, save for a couple of fistfights, Kane said.

Kane said that tracking club-related violence is difficult because incidents often go unreported, but based on the data available, she finds the drop "substantial."

While the drop in violent summer incidents was not dramatic - about 14 percent - nightlife in the city has not been nearly as scrutinized as it was in 2010. A 44-bullet shootout outside Suede, a now-closed nightclub by Fisherman's Wharf, killed a 19-year-old man in February 2010. That summer, a police officer was shot outside El Rincon in the Mission, and a man was killed outside Jelly's Dance Cafe, a Latin club in Mission Bay that has also shut down.

Since the Entertainment Commission was created in 2002, neighbors of clubs and others have criticized it, saying its roles promoting entertainment and regulating venues are contradictory.

Faster enforcement

Until recently, the panel often couldn't revoke the entertainment permits it issues, even when clubs repeatedly violated terms. The best it could do with Suede, for instance, was suspend its permit for 30 days.

Then, under legislation by Supervisor David Chiu that passed in August 2010, the commission expanded its ability to shutter venues. Another piece of legislation by Chiu, whose district is the club-heavy North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf, established regulations for hiring event promoters at the end of 2010.

The Entertainment Commission has an inspector who attends parties, raves and dance halls every weekend and can stick problem venues with fines starting at $100. This summer, the agency issued 17 citations and 34 violation notices. Club-related crime data provided weekly by the police help the commission track trends and identify repeat offenders.

That expanded tool kit came in handy in November 2010, when a man was fatally shot at the Gravity Room in the Marina. The commission suspended the club's permit for a week and ordered beefed-up security measures. Shortened hours, increased security, pat-downs for every club-goer, security cameras monitoring the inside and outside, and contracts for hiring promoters were among the changes made to its security plan. Shortly thereafter, the club shut down.

The commission also stepped in to mediate in January when one man was killed and three injured in fights at the Temple Nightclub downtown. They were hitting each other with glass bottles, so the commission ordered the club not to serve bottled beer on certain nights, Kane said.

"If you don't respond to somebody quickly after they have made an error, your window of educating them and getting them into compliance goes away," Kane said. "So having quick, responsive ways to remediate a situation is really, really valuable, and is a success."

Room for improvement

Chiu said the commission's efforts seem to be paying off.

"Obviously, we've got more progress to make," he said. "But I think the Entertainment Commission is finally starting to ensure that the handful of problematic nightclubs are dealt with, so the vast majority of nightclubs that are doing the right thing continue to help us build a safe, vibrant and healthy nightlife."

Police Capt. Stephen Tacchini, who has overseen policing in the wharf and North Beach for several months, sees the situation differently.

Tacchini said he and his crew still have problems managing the rowdy crowds that empty onto Broadway when bars and clubs shut down.

Tacchini wants the commission to require more clubs to take safety measures before trouble happens, such as installing video surveillance, blocking intoxicated partyers from clubs, and using devices to screen for weapons.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say I think it's improved," he said. "I think we still have some work to do."